Brexit news latest: Huge blow for Boris Johnson as MPs defeat ‘fast-track’ debate timetable

Prime Minister Boris Johnson tonight said he will “pause” the Withdrawal Agreement Bill and “accelerate” no-deal preparations after MPs rejected his three-day timetable for Commons debates on his Brexit plan.

In a massive blow for Mr Johnson, MPs defeated the “programme motion” by 322 votes to 308 during another dramatic night in the Commons.

He had earlier pledged to pull the Bill and call for a general election if the timetable – aimed at fast-tracking the Brexit agreement into law before the “do or die” October 31 deadline – was defeated. But Mr Johnson made no mention of an election during his short speech responding to the defeat.

He said: “I must express my disappointment that the House has again voted for delay rather than a timetable that would have guaranteed the UK would have been in a position to leave the EU on October 31 with a deal.

“We now face further uncertainty and the EU must now make up their minds over how to answer Parliament’s request for a delay.

“The first consequence is the government must take the only responsible course and accelerate our preparations for a no-deal outcome.”

He went on: “Until they [EU member states] have reached a decision I must say we will pause this legislation.

“Our policy remains that we should not delay, that we should leave the EU on October 31 and that is what I will say to the EU.”

In better news for the Prime Minister, his Withdrawal Agreement Bill had earlier passed for a second reading by 329 votes to 299.

And he said: “One way or another, we will leave the EU with this deal to which this House has just given its assent.”

As Mr Johnson’s hopes of leaving on October 31 suffered a massive blow, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told him: “I make this offer to him tonight. Work with all of us to agree a reasonable timetable, and I suspect this House will vote to debate, scrutinise – and I hope amend – the detail of this bill.

“That would be the sensible way forward, and that’s the offer I make on behalf of the opposition tonight.”

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